mystic...

the previous web site i posted a link to accused Mr. Crabtree of near-mystical beliefs...

perhaps he is right, perhaps he is wrong.


Its easy when you are only judging based on sound-bites.


But it forced me to think about myself and mysticism. Where do i stand.

Good-ol-reliable Dictionary.com spells it out for us

1 a Immediate consciousness of the transcendent or ultimate reality or God.
b The experience of such communion as described by mystics.
2 A belief in the existence of realities beyond perceptual or intellectual apprehension that are central to being and directly accessible by subjective experience.
3 Vague, groundless speculation.

1: In a finite way. We can only understand so much of God. Why can we only understand so much of God. more on this later
2: Yes, agree, kinda. ugly implication, perhaps a better choice of words...
3: This sounds like it was added to appease some loud screaming minority... or majority, whatever the case may be.

I think the downside with the mystic path is it tends to suggest that we are governing our own experience.
This negates any need for admonishment or accountability, because your experience is subjective and thats what makes it so important to you.

I prefer the model of the Teacher & the student.

also a danger I would see in mysticism is if anything objective is discounted. a drifting down the thought line of everything is subjective and there can be no absolutes.

I guess in some ways we would seem positively mystical considering our belief in the power of the tongue, and in spiritual gifts and manifestations which would frighten the average conservative catholic... at least in theory.

(http://www.mgdehoop.waarbenjij.nu/) - Margriet